New Blog Coming Soon!!!

I'm still looking for a title for my new blog, so any suggestions would be magnificent.  I am going to be posting about feeding my family on a $50 dinner budget each week.  This seems like an easy task, but I have a family of 6.  Meat isn't cheap, fresh fruits and vegetables aren't cheap, and trying new things can tend to be on the pricey side too (buying ingredients I don't usually keep on hand, for instance).  I mean, I could easily feed my family on starchy and processed foods that come straight from a box.  I could probably do it for about $25 a week.  A giant package of hamburger, a small package of chicken, 5 or 6 varieties of "Helper" meals, and we're golden.  But we hate that stuff here.  I love to cook from scratch, and it makes me feel like a much better mom (and person in general) to know that I have managed to turn random items into a delicious dinner that will send my kids to bed with something delicious and nutritious in their tummies.

So, the way my blog will work is this.  I will come up with a 5 night menu (wait, you say I'm cheating by spending $50 on only 5 meals? No.  I'm not.  I only have 3 of my 4 kids for 5 nights a week, and on weekends I only have to feed a two year old and two adults.  My plan is to incorporate enough food into our weekly meals so that we can make use of leftovers on weekends by either recycling the same menu, or reusing what we made to turn it into something better; for instance, leftover spaghetti and sauce turns into spaghetti pie.)  I will estimate the cost of these meals (you won't see the estimate) and then shop for them.  I will post my shopping results and give you a breakdown of cost.  I will also post all recipes that I use (or a link to them if I have already used them, once the blog gets going.)

I will also be finding a new home for my blog.  I've toyed with asking my local paper to host it so that I can get some local advertising and traffic, but in order to do that, I need to make sure this is a solid idea, and I NEED A TITLE!!! This is my only issue right now.  I'm not sure what I should call it.  Frugal With Fifty? Feed Them With Fifty? I don't want people to think I'm writing a blog for people getting ready to send in their AARP membership, so I'm worried about the title not being plain enough to convey the point of my blog.  I want to attract readers who are exactly like me.

I am a mom.  A stay at home mom, actually.  I love to cook (especially dinner, since it's the only real meal I get to share with my kids all together.) I hate that it's sometimes a struggle to get my 6 year old to eat meat, or that my 11 year old inexplicably hates tacos (WHAT kid hates tacos???), or that my 2 year old just doesn't want to stay seated during dinner. It's also impossible to keep track of what they do and do not like since this can change from one day to the next.  My 9 year old will like pepperoni pizza, then he won't, then he will but he has to pick the pepperonis off and eat them after the pizza is gone. It's exasperating sometimes to keep them all happy at once.  So feeding them can be a huge expense, and like most people these days, we are struggling a little with the economy being the way it is.  Fuel costs are up, meaning transportation is getting more and more expensive, which means the food being delivered to our grocery stores is getting ridiculously pricy.  I'm tired of ALWAYS looking for coupons for every single thing that I buy (although I'm an occasional Couponaholic.) Sometimes it's nice to just have a plan that I know will end with me walking out of the store with what I need, not what I want to stock up on now while it's cheap.  I don't want my kids to ever have to "eat cheap" because bills are due and fuel needs to go into our tank for heat.  I don't want them to look back and remember when we ate hamburger helper for a week straight because that was all we had in the house (never happened, by the way, because as I mentioned, we HATE that stuff!!!) I want them to remember fresh vegetables, meat that isn't always ground up, and most importantly that their mom took the time to prepare something that she could be proud to feed them.

I will try new recipes, post my old favorites, and most definitely share my failures with you.  If a recipe was a waste, I'll tell you.  If I went grossly over budget, you will be the first to know! So, follow me on my journey to feeding them frugally!

Today's Trip (4/20)

I went to Bangor with my mom today... We hit up Target and Shaw's...  I did pretty well for a trip that almost didn't happen (since yesterday one of the boys was sick)!

At Target I saved $56, and paid $33 for some good stuff!

2 bottles of Kraft BBQ sauce
2 Velveeta Shells and Cheese
3 Pepsi Max 2 liters
3 Pepsi Next 12 oz bottles
2 Axe Shampoo
2 Axe Body Wash
1 Mossimo Cami
1 Bathtub Caddy (yay!!!)
1 Bathroom Soap Dispenser set (came with pump, little bamboo stand w/drawer, and toothbrush cup)
1 pack Take n' Toss Sippy Cups
1 Sobe Lifewater
4 Crystal Light (12 quart mix)

At Shaw's I saved $80.87 and I paid $56.25.  I got:

10 single serve Tony's pizzas
4 Dole Fruit Crisp
2 Philadelphia Indulgence
3 Kraft Shredded Cheese (2 cup bags)
4 Kens 9 oz Dressing
6 Hamburger Helper
4 Mio Drink Flavors
2 Aquafina 24 packs
4 All Small and Mighty detergent
10 Arm & Hammer 40 ct Dryer Sheets

So, I got $226.12 worth of stuff today for $89.25, for a total savings of 60.5%!

I also stopped off at The Growing Place, a consignment shop on Hammond Street in Bangor, and picked up two pairs of shorts and a pair of jeans for the boys for $12.58.  =)

Kraft First Taste

I recently signed up for Kraft First Taste.  It is a website that allows you to preview upcoming products, and print high value coupons for new ones. I am expecting a FREE Kraft Fresh Take coupon in the mail, and last week I printed $1.50/1 Philadelphia cooking creme, $2.00/1 Jell-o refrigerated pudding cups (Smores or Strawberry Sundae flavor), $1.50/1 Philadelphia Indulgence, and $1.50/2 Teddy Grahams Soft Paws cookies.  These are pretty high value coupons (the cooking creme was only .97 at Walmart after coupon) and it's free to sign up.  

Sign up for Kraft First Taste HERE!

Ziploc +Up Double Dip!

I was at Rite Aid this morning and was going to buy some Ziploc bags and Glade Refills (since I got free Glade Scented Oil Warmers last week) and I noticed that there was a flag on the Ziploc bags that read "$2 +Up on $10 purchase." I was a little confused at first, since I thought the +Up Reward was $5 wyb $15.  I checked the flier and sure enough, I was right.  So I figured it was an old flag (since our store puts up new flags on Sunday and sometimes the old ones haven't come down yet) but on closer inspection, I saw it was a month-long +Up Reward that ends on 5/1! So, If you purchase 6 pkgs of select Ziploc bags (or at least 4, since they are 2/$6 on the sale this week), and either more ziploc or select Glade items (that are included in this week's $5 +Up wyb $15 deal), you can get $7 worth of +Up Rewards!  Here's what I got:

2 Glade Sandwich Bags - $6/2
2 Glade Gallon Bags - $6/2
1 Glade Scented Oil Refills 2 pack - $4.00

I used (2) $1/2 Ziploc Products
(1) $1/1 Glade Scented Oil Refills 2 Pack

Now, unfortunately, in my excitement to see if this would work, I didn't pay attention to flags and bought two of the boxes that weren't included in the month-long $2 +Up Reward! My receipt says that I spent $6 toward the $10 Ziploc purchase requirement though, so two of the bags I bought were included.  However, my mother in law bought 6 boxes of the quart sized freezer bags, and the flag on the shelf in front of those actually had the $10 +Up advertised, and she got a $2 +Up and a $5 +Up.  She also had $8 roll over toward the next $10, so if she went back and bought another box, she would have gotten another $2 +Up!

If you were to buy 10 boxes ($30), use (5) $1/2 Ziploc products coupons, pay $25, get back $14 +Up Rewards.  You would basically be paying $11 for 10 boxes of bags, or $1.10 each (before tax).  Great stock up price!

Shaw's Matchups 4/13 - 4/20

I am not much for shopping at Shaw's because I haven't been able to justify a trip there lately for the gas money it costs to go down, but this week, I'm hitting it up.  Not that it's a super spectacular sale (rumor is if you wait around another week or so there may be some way better savings to be found!), but I have several reasons to go to Bangor this weekend so I'm hoping to get in as many places as possible so I come home with some big savings.

The official flyer is located here.  If you want to go check it out for yourself, there are some matchups there already, but I've spent the last couple of days looking for some extra deals and I've found a couple that weren't listed (hopefully they haven't updated it since and this post isn't just a big ol' redundant waste of time lol).

Pepsi 2 liters - B2G1 Free
    $1/3 Pepsi 2 Liter (peelie found on bottles at Walmart)

Powerade - B1G1Free 

McCormick Seasoning Packets -  10/$10
    $.75/1 any McCormick spice/herb/extract/color
    FREE!

McCormick Grill Mates bottles - $2 each,
    $.75/1 any McCormick spice/herb/extract/color
    $.50/each!

Duncan Hines Cake Mixes - 2/$3
     $.35/1 Duncan Hines Cake Mix

     $.80/each

Friskies Cat Treats - 2/$3
     $.50/1 Friskies Cat Treats
     $.50/each

Coffee Mate Creamer - $1.99
    $.55/1 Printable
    $.75/2 Printable

    $.89/1 or $2.48/2 depending on which coupon you use.

Lawry's Marinades - $1.79 (These are $3.99 at Hannaford and over $2 at Walmart, so this is a good price anyway.)
    $1/1 Lawry's Marinade coupons expected this weekend. 

    If we get those, they'll be $.79 each!

Shaw's 16 oz Shredded Cheese - $4.69
     $1/1 Shaw's printable

Edy's Fruit Bars - B2G2
    $1/2 Edy's

Utz potato chips - B1G2 free.
    Someone on WUC said that they are $4.29 each, or $1.43 each WYB 3.

Free Shaw's White Bread wyb 2 I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (or other stuff, including Skippy) - 2/$6.
    $1.25/1 ICBINB printable
    $3.50 for 2 (small) tubs of butter and one loaf of bread.

YoCrunch Cups - 10/$6
    $1/4 printable. 
    Use two of those and it's 10/$4. Buy only 4 or 8, and they're .35 each.


Newman's Own Frozen Pizza 2/$10
    $1/1 Newman's Own Frozen Pizza
    $4/each


Ristorante Frozen Pizza - $2.99
    $1/1 Ristorante (possibly regional.  I got this one the week I bought the Maine Sunday Telegram).
    $1.99/each


There is also a Pick 4 for $19.99 on select meat products.  They are usually prepackaged, but the flier says there are more selections in-store so there might be fresh meat included.  Perdue Perfect Portions and Mrs. Budd's Chicken Pot Pies are included.  I love these pies and they make an easy "night off" dinner when I don't feel like cooking a big meal.  They're almost $7 each at Hannaford, so $5 each is a great deal!


Once I make my trip through the store, I'll post any other deals I found.  I plan to use my binder while I'm there so if I find anything good, I'll letcha know!

Rite Aid Trip 4/9

I got a text from a friend who happens to be the newest employee of our friendly(ish) local Rite Aid.  She told me there was some clearance on Maybelline, so I decided to check it out.  I loooooooove me some nail polish so I was excited to find some priced 50% off, and it was $2.07 after the discount!  I had some $1/1 ANY Maybelline New York Product coupons, and unfortunately for me, this did not mean an easy deal on some nail pretties.


I grabbed 7 different shades.  Can't beat $1.07 a bottle!  Well, actually I could beat it.  There's a month-long +Up Reward on Maybelline (Buy $15, get $5 +Up), and I already had $2.00 going toward it.  So, another $14.49 in nail polish put me over the top.  So, I got 4 bottles for $2.49 (before tax) after +Up.  =) HOWEVER...  NONE of the bottles rang up the right price, and I got the "Did you check the tag and look at the specific color that was on clearance???" attitude.  Ya, I checked.  I have fallen victim to a misplaced item in a sea of cosmetics with clearance tags.  You have to check and make sure the number/color/variety matches because sometimes the wrong one gets put in the clearance spot and you think it's a great deal, but they point out that technicality and no amount of "it's not my fault you guys tagged the wrong item" will get them to mark it down for you.  They will tell you to look at the tag or you don't get the price.  (I've found MONTHS old sale flags at that store so beware when you're finding spontaneous deals that they are valid!!!)

So, she had a manager go check after I told her that there was only one price tag on the display and the clearance flag said "Maybelline display items only" (to indicate not ALL nail polish was on sale.)  She still acted like it was my fault the register wasn't ringing in the right price, or that I somehow voodooed the clearance flag or manager who read it exactly as I did.  But, on with the story...

I had coupons for each of the items, and was going to split the order into two so I could do 4 coupons on one, 3 on the other (since I was told they only allow 4 like coupons per transaction).  However, the coupon wouldn't scan.  Again, this must have been my fault because the cashier first pointed out that it was only on Maybelline NEW YORK products.  But guess what...all Maybelline is NEW YORK, because that's their full brand name (and to be sure, I pointed it out on the bottles "Maybelline" with "New York" under it in small letters.  Then, she said it's probably only on makeup, so I pointed to the stack of coupons, on the display just feet away from the register, next to the nail polish, and told her I got them from the display.  She continued to scrutinize and then said "Yup, it must be because it's only for makeup." So, I kindly pointed out that it said ANY product, not just makeup, and she (however quietly) snapped "I KNOW I CAN READ IT."  Wowwwwwwwwwww... 

So, at last, after wasting both her time and mine (and this was about 15 minutes into the transaction after price checking and scanning other items), she manually entered the 4 coupons, then told me that she'd just try all 7 bottles and coupons in one transaction, likely in an effort to speed things along and get me OUT of there!

So, finally, I got my nail polish, other items, and +Up Rewards...  Here's a list of what I got... It was worth the effort, I'd say.

2 Glad 13 Gallon kitchen trash bags - $4.49 each
1 Lysol No-Touch kitchen starter system (with bonus refill) $6.99
8 pkgs Up2U Gum $.99 each
4 pkgs Mentos gum 15 pk $.99 each
7 Maybelline Express Finish nail polish $2.07 each
1 Duracell AA 8 pk $6.99
2 Glad Plug In Warmers $1.00 each

Used
(1) $2.00/2 Glad 13 Gallon trash bags printable
(1) $3.00/1 Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System Starter Kit
(4) $1/2 Up2U gum packs
(4) $.55/1 Mentos gum 15+ pack
(7) $1/1 Any Maybelline New York Product
(1) $1/1 Duracell Coppertop batteries
(2) $1/1 Glade Plugins Scented Oil Warmer
 $6 +Up Reward from previous transactions

Paid $26.70

Got back $2 +Up for Duracell
               $5 +Up for Maybelline

Will get $3.00 Lysol No-Touch rebate

Final cost was $16.70. Not bad for what I got (although the gum drove up my final OOP because I spent about $6 on that by itself, but we chew a lot of gum and less than $.50 a pack is better than paying $1.29 regular price otherwise!)  But to break it down by item:

Glad Bags - $3.49 each after coupon (they also count toward a $5 Single Check Rebate gift card in April.
Lysol No-Touch - $.99 after coupon and rebate
Up2U gum - $.49 each
Mentos gum - $.44 each
Maybelline Nail Polish - $.36 after clearance, coupons, and +Up Reward
Duracell 8 pk - $3.99 after coupon and +Up Reward
Glade Scented Oil Warmers - Free after coupon

After all that, I think that cashier is going to seriously either kill me or quit her job if I grace her register again... She was politely laughing and smiling as I apologized profusely for the trouble (though none of it was my fault, aside from finding a deal and using coupons) but that was probably more out of relief that I was leaving.

Rite Aid Deals 4/8

This week I was excited to get the Rite Aid flyer in the mail because the copy I found online was grainy and I couldn't really see a whole lot, but I had read that there were some REALLY great deals to be found in it.  I'm happy to say it wasn't just a rumor because I found some great deals that are going on my shopping list!

Softsoap & Irish Spring
Buy $20, get $10 +Up (limit 4 +Up offers)

Softsoap Body wash ($5.29)
     $1/1 Softsoap body wash 12 oz or larger
Softsoap Hand Soap 8-8.5 oz ($4.29)
     $1/2 Softsoap Liquid Hand Soaps 8 oz or larger
Softsoap Bars ($5.29)
     $1/1 Softsoap Bar Soap 2 pack or larger
Softsoap Hand Soap 7.5 oz ($3.49)
Irish Spring Body Wash ($5.49)

Always Radiant Infinity Pads/Tampax Radiant
Get $2 +Up Reward on 1 (Limit 2 +Up Offers)

Always Radiant Infinity 12-16 ct $3.99
     $1/1 Always Infinity or Radiant Infinity (P&G 4/1/12)Tampax Radiant 16 ct $3.99
     $1/1 Tampax Radiant (P&G 4/1/12) 

$.99 After Coupon and +Up 

eos Shave Cream 7 oz., Bic Twin Select Silky Touch Disposable Razor 10 ct
$2.00 +Up Reward on 1 (Limit 4 +Up Offers)

Bic Twin Select Razors
     $2/1 Bic Disposable Razors (SS 3/18/12) 

$.99 for eos Shave Cream
$1.00 MM on Bic Razors (with coupon, after +Up Reward)

Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System $6.99

     $3/1 Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System (SS 3/18/12)
     $3/1 Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System (All You, March 2012)
     $.75/1 Lysol No-Touch Kitchen Starter Kit (Lysol.com Printable)
     $3/1 MAIL IN REBATE (All You, April 2012) 

$.99 After Coupon and MIR 

Up2U, 5 Gum, Trident, Stride, Tic Tacs, Mentos, Altoids $.99
     $1/2 Up2U packs (SS 3/25/12)
     $.50/1 5 Gum (Rite Aid Video Values, March)
     $1/2 Stride Single Packs (SS 2/12/12)
     $.55/1 Mentos Bottles 15 ct.+ (SS 3/25/12)    

Carefree, Stayfree, o.b. Tampons 2/$6.00

Carefree Pantiliners 36-60 ct, or Ultra 16 ct
     $1/1 Carefree (SS 3/18/12)
     $.50/1 Carefree (Coupons.com)
 Stayfree Pads 14-24 ct
     $2/2 Stayfree Products (SS 3/18/12)
     $1/1 Stayfree Product (Coupons.com)
o.b. Tampons 18 ct
     $.75/1 o.b. Product (SS 3/18/12)

     $.75/1 o.b. Product (Coupons.com) 

$.50 each for Carefree/Stayfree
$.75 each for o.b. Tampons 

Glad Trash Bags $4.49 
Buy $20 Get $5 Giftcard (Single Check Rebate)
     $2/2 Glad Kitchen Trash Bags (Coupons.com)
     $1/1 Glad 30 Gal Trash Bags (Coupons.com) 

Glade Scented Oil Warmer $5/5 (single purchase price $1.29)
     $1/1 Glade Plug-Ins Scented Oil Warmer 

Duracell Coppertop Batteries $6.99
Get $2.00 +Up Reward on 1 (Limit 2 +Up Reward Offers)

Duracell AA, AAA 8 Pack, C or D 4 Pack, or 9 Volt 2 pack
     $1/1 Duracell Product  (P&G 4/1/12)
Duracell Ultra AA or AAA 6 pack

    $1/1 Duracell Product (P&G 4/1/12)

$3.99 after coupon and +Up Reward

A couple of other items I'm going for are the Pepsi 12 packs (4/$11 after $2 +Up on 4), and Tostitos/Lays, which are 2/$4 after $2 +Up Reward on 2.  I might grab the B1G1Free Finish detergent since there are $.75/1 and $.50/1 coupons on those. 

Hopefully this helps you out in planning your trip!  This is just a list of the best items I saw.  I'm loving the MM on Bic Razors and REALLY cheap Tampons!  I am not lacking in pads or liners in my stockpile, but my sole box of Playtex tampons could use some company.  I should be bringing home at least 6 more boxes tomorrow! Woot!

My Rite Aid Disater 4/1

So, some days couponing is a big rush, and some days you're glad you hit snooze when your "Black Sunday" alarm goes off because you just didn't feel like making a mad rush to Rite Aid to be there as soon as the doors opened.

Today, was one of those days... I hit snooze.  And boy, am I glad I did.  Had I been operating at still-groggy capacity, I don't even know what could have happened.  I just know that if sleeping in an extra hour helped at all, getting up early would have just been VERY bad.

I had everything planned.  The blog I posted last night, other than my John Frieda order, was exactly how my shopping trip was supposed to go.  However....

Transaction #1.

I started off with $4 in +Ups, so In Theory, this should have been easy-breezy.  However, I didn't figure for tax last night because I was Just.Too.Exhausted to do the math.  I knew there would be tax, I just didn't want to put in the effort.  So when my order rang up more than I had planned on, I looked puzzled, asked the cashier if there were anymore coupons, she said nope, and even told me she scanned two gum coupons.  Well, I paid it and chalked it up to not figuring out tax, even though I knew over a dollar more on a transaction that would have cost no more than $10 without coupons or Up Rewards wouldn't have accumulated THAT much tax.  But, I let it go thinking my math was screwed up.  I paid $2.87 OOP.

Transaction #2. 

No hitches.  I went in the other day to get some stuff that was advertised in the flier that started today, but I noticed it said "Good 3/30 - 5/1".  So, I tried it, failed, and instead of putting everything back they held it behind the counter because first of all, it was printed in their flier and I could have argued but didn't, and second, I somehow knew they wouldn't restock and they'd be all gone.  The last time this deal ran, everyone else got in on it, but I missed out and got a whole TWO of them (it was the Baby Lips by Maybelline).  Thankfully, they still had my bag of stuff held, this order went through 100% fine.  I paid $5.91 for 6 of them, and got a $5 +Up

Transaction #3. 

John Freakin Frieda.  I priced stuff, but after finding the video values coupon for the Full Repair products, I wasn't positive how much the Shampoo would be.  So, upon finding it was cheaper than I had thought, I couldn't reach the $15 without throwing in another product.  So I found a trial size item ($3.29) that I did not have a coupon for, but threw it in anyway just to push me over the $15 mark.  However, trials don't count, apparently, even though it does NOT state that in the sale flier (and one would think a $3 bottle of hair product wouldn't be considered a trial anyway!)  So I'm deducting that item from my total because I plan to return it later.  So, I had to buy another product to put me over $15.  But since I now apparently get a store-wide discount because of my Wellness Plus points, it was cheaper than I thought it would have been, and I used a $2 off coupon and only paid $4 for something that was normally $7.29.  Anyway, after two transactions, I got the $5 +Up reward.  I paid $5.73 OOP for 3 products totalling $26.32 (with tax).

Transaction #4. 

Gillette.  No Problems.  I paid $1.38 OOP using coupons and the +Up from John Frieda.  Woot Woot! Something went right. 

Transaction #5.

Halls.  All I wanted was 6 packages of Halls.  The sale wasn't flagged yet so I was trying to pick stuff from the flier, but the print was small.  So I grabbed the $1.99 packages that said "33% More Free!" (because those are usually the ones we go for, right?  More stuff, same price as the smaller ones.)  Usually that works, but apparently this time, they did not.  No +Up printed.  I told the cashier I'd get out of her hair and just call Customer Service.  I got in the car, went to call, they're CLOSED on Sundays.  So I was just gonna put my receipt away and call tomorrow, but I noticed that they rang up $1.79 each, not $1.50 each.  The +Up ones were on sale 2/$3.  So I went back in, asked to exchange for the right ones.  They let me, no problem.  I asked if the +Up would print if they did it through an exchange, they said yes.  WRONG.  No +Up printed, but thankfully the manager just gave me $3 cash in lieu of the +Up she told me would print but didn't.  So, I originally paid $4.28 using 3 $1/2 coupons and $4 +UPs from Gillette.  They ended up giving me back $1.83 for the difference since the ones I bought before, and $3 for the +Ups.  So I made $.55 on this order.  I guess. 

So I ended up paying $15.34 OOP, Tax Included, with NO +Up Rewards left, since they credited me in cash for that.  More than the $11 and change I said last night, but take into consideration I bought an extra John Frieda product I didn't intend to, and the cashier missed out on one coupon for $1.  So, I did pretty well. 

Total Retail (regular prices from receipt):  $86.80
Total OOP:  $15.34
Total Savings:  82.3%

(20 Items purchased, $.77 per item!)

Rite Aid Scenario 4/1/12

Here is a list of what I plan to get tomorrow (4/1/12) at Rite Aid!

Transaction #1

Scunci 18 ct Elastics - 1.99
2 Dentyne Ice Bags -  5.98 (2.99 each)
Subtotal                      7.97

Use (2) $1.00/1 Dentyne/Trident 80 ct or larger
Use (1) $.50/1 Dentyne Gum Video Values
                    
Total OOP   $5.47

Get back $3.99 +Up Rewards ($1.99 from Scunci, (2) $1.00 from Dentyne 80 pack)

Transaction #2

6 Baby Lips by Maybelline (B1G1 50% Off) - $17.07 (they are 3.79 each, and 3 of them will be 1/2 off)
Subtotal     $17.07

Use (2) $2/1 Maybelline Lip Product  (2/5/12 RP)
Use (4) $1/1 Maybelline NY Product (Tearpad found at Rite Aid)
Use $3.99 +Up Rewards

Total OOP $5.08

Get $5 +Up Reward (Buy $15 Maybelline, get $5 +Up)

Transaction #3 (This one depends on the prices, but according to what I priced the other day, I may be able to do it this way, if not, skip this one and move to #4, since it results in the same +Up Reward and the next transaction will stay the same.)

1 John Frieda Full Repair Styling Item - $10.49
1 John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo or Conditioner - $5.25 (1/2 off, since the sale is B1G1 50% off)
Subtotal - $15.74

Use $5.00 off John Frieda Full Repair Styling Item AND John Frieda Full Repair shampoo or conditioner
Use (2) $2.00/1 Any Full Size John Frieda Item.
Use $5.00 +Up

Total OOP $1.74

Get $5 +Up (Buy $15 John Frieda, get $5 +Up)

Transaction #4

2 Gillette Bodywash $7.98 ($3.99 each)
Subtotal $7.98

Use (2) $1/1 Gillette Bodywash or Deodorant (4/1/12 P&G)
Use $5 +Up Reward

Total OOP: $.98

Get $4.00 +Up (2 $2 +Ups for Gillette/Old Spice Body Wash)
Transaction #5

6 Halls $9.00 (2/$3)
Subtotal $9.00

Use (3) $1/2 Halls (3/25/12 SS)
Use $5 +Up

Total OOP: $2

Get $3.00 +Up (3 $1 +Up on 2 pkgs)
 
So, these are the things I'm planning for tomorrow's trip, and I know not everyone has these same coupons, but it gives you a chance to see what types of deals you can do.  My total OOP will be about $15.27 before tax.  (Actually, mine will be $11.27 because I have $4 in +Up Rewards from last week's sale, but I didn't factor those in since not everyone has that amount to start off with).  In addition to that, I will leave the store with $3 +Up Rewards.  The total regular or advertised price is $68.67, so you can see I will save considerably.  My only fear is that I won't be able to find John Frieda items at that price, since most of them run around 7.49, but there are a lot priced higher, at $10.49.  If I don't hit $15 on that transaction, I won't get a +Up Reward to roll into the next transaction.  So, if I have to skip that one, I will. 

Rite Aid clearance

I've decided to put my coupon binder back together! I was browsing through Rite Aid today and I found a BUNCH of clearanced items!  If only I'd had my coupons organized in Binder style, I would have brought home a whole lot of stuff for really cheap!  Well, I did bring home a whole lot of stuff for cheap, just nothing I would have had coupons for.

I found a lot of clearanced items, some of which were cleared off the shelves already.  I always check the makeup sections because I've gotten about 20 bottles of nail polish and lip gloss in the past month and probably have paid no more than $5 for most of it.  There are a LOT of clearance tags for 75% off items that are $4 and under.  Today, I found Rimmel nail polish for .99 each (regular price 3.99), BOD men's body spray for .24 each (good stocking stuffers!), and nail growth formula for $1.61 (a bit more expensive than the other items, but my nails keep breaking and it was better than paying nearly $7 for this somewhere else!)

Things I noticed around the store were feminine products (Always and Carefree pads, which were already cleared out, and OB Tampons) 75% off, Garnier dandruff shampoo 50% off, select Rimmel nail polish, lip gloss/sticks, and lip liners.  There were also a variety of nail polish brands with markdowns, but most of the REALLY cheap ones were cleaned out.  However, $2 for an $8 bottle of nail polish might be worth it! There were some Sally Hansen nail polishes clearanced as well, and some Sally Hansen skincare products.

So, it's time to start carrying EVERY coupon I have with me everywhere I go! Maybe you should consider investing in a coupon binder system as well!  As soon as I get the stuff to put mine together, I will post a blog so you can see how mine is made, and how I have it organized.

Super Cheap Skin Care!

So... I'm not one to splurge on skincare products, despite the "high value" coupons that come out for them.  I will be old and wrinkly (sooner than later), but it's because I refuse to spend $35 on something like the L'Oreal Youth Code pictured above.  HOWEVER...

While planning my shopping trip for the upcoming Rite Aid sale, I was checking the current flier (that ends today, 3/24) with the new coupons to see if there were any last minute deals to be had.  I noticed there was a Buy $15, get $5 +Up in a small box on the back page, and upon closer look, it was L'Oreal skin care products.  I figured I'd check for some coupons, and found a $5 Video Values coupon on Youth Code.  I also found a $5/1 Youth Code kit in the 2/19 Red Plum.  That was $10 off one product.  I also noticed a $10 Mail In Rebate WYB $30 in one transaction (L'Oreal.com).  So, that' was $20 off one product!  And, on top of that, it was $35.99, so that's TWO $5 +Up Rewards, since you get $5 for every $15 you spend (up to 2 +Ups per household.)  So, after adding up coupons, rebates, and ups, I was gonna save $30 on this start up kit.  So guess who gets to prolong the effects of aging (at least until this box runs out lol)??? This girl!

So, I apologize I didn't find this at the beginning of the week, but I figured it was worth sharing since there are still a few hours left before the sale ends and it's a GREAT deal to take advantage of!

Deals I've found this week

Hey there!  I just wanted to post a few quick deals I found in this week's inserts (3/18)

Of course, there is the Stayfree maxi pad deal at Rite Aid.  They are 2/$6, there is a $2/2 coupon (SS 3/18) bringing them down to 2/$4, and then there is a $2 +Up Reward on two.  So the final price for these is $1 each! There is a limit of 2 +Up Rewards per household, so you can get a total of 4 packages if you have 2 coupons.

Rite Aid also has Carefree panty liners advertised as $1, and there is a $1/1 coupon in the 3/18 SS.  This makes them free.  However, our Walmart has them regularly priced at .94, so you can make 6 cents per package you buy if they allow you overage.  I bought a couple the other day and they didn't mark the coupon down, so I got the overage. 

There was a wealth of Suave products coupons in the RP 3/18 Insert this week.  I used the Buy 2, Get 1 Free Body wash on the +Up Reward deal at Rite Aid (Buy $10, get $3 +Up Reward back, limit 2).  However, I was checking prices of other Suave products at Walmart and found the small deodorants (not trial size, just the 1.4 oz I think) are only .97 and there is a $1/2 coupon.  So I paid only .47 for each one I bought.  I know this is only about a 50% discount, but I'll take deodorant for less than 50 cents!  Especially since this is one of the items that my ever-growing stockpile was lacking... until today!

One other good deal I found was on Bic razors.  I price checked them at Rite Aid, since they are Buy One, Get One 50% off, but it honestly was cheaper regular price at Walmart! The Bic Silky Touch 10 pack is only $2.97.  They also have the yellow Bic men's razors (single blade, I think) for the same price, and I think it's a 12 pack.  Using the $2/1 Bic Razor (trials excluded) coupon from RP 3/18, you can get 10 or 12 razors for under $1.  I've stocked up on Schick Hydro and refills for the hubby, but I don't find many girly razors, and now that it's shorts weather (for now), I can't exactly hide hairy sasquatch legs under jeans (like I've ever done that............ well, maybe once or twice).  So, I was excited to find this deal.  I'm sure another sale will run and I'll be kicking myself for using up all my coupons now, but honestly, I thought it was a good price so I loaded up!

If I find anymore regular price deals, I will be sure to post them, and please feel free to share if you've found any of your own!

My Rite Aid Trip 2/26

Today, I hit up Rite Aid bright and early.  I was excited to get some stuff since I already had $16 in +Up Rewards left from last week.

Here is my trip:

Transaction #1

2 Schick Hydro Shave Gel - 2/$4
1 Petites Nail Polish - $.49 (clearanced 75% off)
1 CQ Nail Polish - $.99 (clearanced 75% off)

Subtotal: $5.48

Used 2 - $.75/1 Schick Hydro Gel
         1 - $1.50/2 Schick/Edge/Skintimate Video Values

Paid (with tax) $2.76

Got back $2 +Up (Buy 2 CQ, Petites, get $2 +UP)
                $20 Winter Rewards +Up (The shave gel put me over my $100 requirement for this reward)

Transaction #2

2 Schick Hydro Power Select Razors - $19.98
2 Schick Hydro 4 ct Refills - $19.98
4 Right Guard Body Wash - $11.96
4 Finesse Styling Products - $12.00

4 Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner - $14.00

Subtotal: $77.92

Used 2 $4/1 Schick Hydro Power Select
         2 $2/1 Schick Hydro Refills
         2 $3/2 Pantene
         2 $3/2 Right Guard
         4 $.75/1 Finesse (peelies found on products in store)
         $38 +Up Rewards

Paid (with tax): $14.92

Got back $4 +Up Rewards for Right Guard ($1/1)
                $4 +UP Rewards for Pantene ($2/2)
                $6 +Up Rewards for Finesse ($3/2)
                $16 +Up Rewards for Schick Hydro ($4/1)
               

Transaction 3

1 Blink Tears Gel - $7.99

1 Bangor Daily News - $2.00

Subtotal $9.99

Used $1/1 Blink Tears Printable (said redeemable at Walmart but was a manufacturer's coupon)
         $8 +Up Rewards

Paid (after tax): $1.39

I could have done way better than I did OOP if I had split up my transactions more to roll the +Ups. I've heard from some people that if you don't wait long enough between transactions, the totals might not update fast enough and rolling Ups (like the Buy and Save or the P&G ones they run every now and then) wont' print because the computer hasn't caught up to your total yet.  Also, our store didn't have sale flags up yet so I wasn't sure if the products I had were definitely included and I didn't want to worry about Ups not printing and screwing up my next order.  I actually paid for the Hydro Gel as soon as I got to the store to see if my $20 Winter Rewards would print then or if I would have to wait for the next transaction. 

But, considering I walked into the store with $16 in +Ups, spent $19.07 total, left with $22 in +Ups, and have a $7.99 Single Check Rebate for the Blink Tears coming my way, I did pretty well! It is a GOOD week at Rite Aid!

Rite Aid

Ya, it's been a couple of weeks... 

I'm excited again this week for a couple of deals at Rite Aid.  I noticed they have Schick Hydro razors and refills for 9.99.  There is a 4.00 +Up reward for each one that you buy (up to 4).  A couple of weeks ago there was a $2/1 Hydro razor and a $2/1 Hydro refill coupon in the paper.  So, it'll be $7.99 each after coupon, with a $4 +Up, so $3.99 each.  Since I have a lot of Up Rewards leftover from last week, I'll be using them to get hubby some new razors and refills.

I am planning also to do Right Guard body wash.  The body wash and deodorant are on sale for $2.99 with a $1 +Up Reward on each (limit 4).  There is a $3/2 Right Guard coupon on coupons.com.  I will buy two of them for $5.98, use $3/1 coupon, pay $2.98, and get $2 +Up Rewards back. Total price is $.98/2 before tax.

I noticed on the front page is a deal for Pantene Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers.  2/$7 isn't a bad price, and supposedly we will be getting a $3/2 Pantene products coupon.  That's 2/$4, and you get back a $2 +Up Reward on 2 (limit 2, so 4 bottles), and you pay $2/2. 

One other deal I'm looking at will be my final transaction and I'll probably use all of my extra +Up Rewards to pay for it.  (I'm $3 away from my Buy and Save $20 +Up Rewards when you spend $100.)  Blink Tears is up for $7.99.  There is a $7.99 SCR this week only, so it ends up being free after rebate.  Good news is, there is a $1.00/1 printable for Blink Tears, so it's a $1 MM. 

There are a few more things going on with +UP Rewards wyb so much of particular products, but this is my list for the week.  If I find anymore worth mentioning, I'll update and letcha know!

Kikkoman Catalina at Hannaford

I was browsing the Hannaford coupons today and found a catalina deal for Kikkoman marinades.  WYB 2, you get $1.50 back OYNO. I was super excited to find that Smartsource.com has a coupon for $1/1 Kikkoman product.  My store has the teriyaki variety for $1.99.  Buy 2 for $3.98, use 2 of the $1/1, and pay $1.98.  Get $1.50 back OYNO, and it's like paying 48 cents for two!

Unilever Deal at Hannaford!!!

I wish I could have posted this earlier, but my mom just got a printout for it and I hadn't heard anything about it until then.  This deal ends on Saturday, 2/4/12, so hurry!

Hannaford and Unilever are running a catalina deal that prints out $5 OYNO when you buy $15 of participating products.  You can find the full details here at their website.  This is a great deal considering the coupons on Unilever that came out in this weekend's paper (1/29). 

Today, I used 5 of the $1/3 Knorr pasta or rice sides coupons and picked up 15 packages at $1 each.  I hit the $15 mark, paid $10 after coupons, and got $5 back.  So they were 33 cents each!  I think I am going to go back and roll my cat into another deal, even though I only have one more coupon for them.  These make great easy side dishes, or even a quick lunch! If I can put together another really decent scenario with the other products I have coupons for, I might even get a chance to stock up on other stuff.  Thankfully Hannaford has their prices for our specific store right on their website so I don't even have to go there to find out how good I can do!

Coupon Etiquette!

One of the things I am majorly obsessed with is coupon etiquette. Most people have common sense about such things, but sometimes people don't really think about the other couponers in the area who may have put a LOT of time and effort into their own coupon shopping trip planning, only to find that someone has cleaned off the shelves, or abused the policies at the local stores to the point where they are extremely unfriendly to the honest people who only want to save where they can.


No-No Number 1:  Shelf Clearing

I have been "extreme couponing" for almost 4 years.  In that time, I've learned that you have to get to the stores as quickly as you can (think Black Friday) if you want to get the deals, or they are sometimes GONE.  This can often be attributed to those in the area who don't use basic coupon etiquette.  Shelf clearers, as they are called, are people who will wipe a stores ENTIRE STOCK of one item out in a single shopping trip, leaving nothing for other customers or couponers to buy.  I've seen this happen with Rite Aid, and I've been shopping with a friend who has done this to me (and other friends too!), knowing that we were shopping together, and had both planned to buy the same items.  I even printed coupons on my printer once, and drove the 50 miles to the store we were shopping, and paid for gas! Only to get there and find out that she meant business.  And it's not like there was an awkward moment where we realized there was only one item left on the shelf and we had to rock-paper-scissors to find out who got it.  It was like, the WHOLE shelf. 

When I shop, I stock up.  I make a trip to Bangor, which is a 50 mile drive, and I want it to be worth the gas money to drive down.  I usually share a vehicle with someone else to cut the cost, but I want to make sure I'm bringing home a haul.  However, if I get to the store and the shelf is looking bare, I don't take it all.  I know someone else is going to come in and take some.  The only time I clear the shelf is if there are only a few items left and I can't help it.  I will also clear a shelf if it is the last day a REALLY good coupon is valid and I know that no one else will be in to get that deal before the coupon expires.

I have a stockpile, and many items exceed 20, but I do this by grabbing a few every time I go out.  I got 108 free Nabisco Go-Paks in the last few weeks, but I bought them at Shaw's, Hannaford, Target, and two different Wal-Mart stores.  The most I bought at once was 48, but that's because they had just restocked, I was approaching the expiration date on the coupon, and there were PLENTY on the shelf for other people. 

No-No Number 2:  Coupon Fraud

Ya, people do this.  ALL the time.  And unfortunately, some registers don't pick it up automatically, but even more unfortunately for us honest couponers, cashiers DO.  Trying to use a coupon for an item it is not specifically intended is fraud.  Read the tiny little words on the bottom of your coupons.  It is also a serious criminal offense.  You can commit coupon fraud by buying the wrong size, the wrong variety, the wrong quantity, or the wrong product altogether.  There are ways to save BIG by using coupons the right way.  If you can't do it without scamming, then you shouldn't be couponing at all.  Sometimes a coupon is unclear, and it doesn't hurt to try if you honestly think a coupon is intended to be used a certain way.  The registers will often beep to let a cashier know that correct item hasn't been purchased, and believe me, this is my LEAST favorite part of checkout.  It makes me feel like a criminal, even though I know I haven't done anything wrong.  I just know that there are those people out there who try to pull one over, and over, and over, and the cashiers tire of being hauled into the cash office to explain why they took coupons for certain items when that item wasn't even purchased.  Believe me, I know... I've been on the other side of the register. 

Another way of committing coupon fraud, though probably not something you'd really be prosecuted for, is lying to companies to get free stuff.  Most companies will send you free stuff for telling them how great their products are.  Telling them you got food poisoning or found poisonous spiders in their product is not the way to get their attention.  I have emailed complaints and gotten free products in the past, but I have also sent praises and gotten coupons for free products, or huge discounts on future purchases.  If you have a complaint, by all means call or send an email!  I do this every other month at least with Glad Forceflex trash bags!  They are amazing, until you get a box with defective drawstrings and end up having to tie knots with the actual bag!!! And Glad knows this, and never hesitates to send me my replacement coupon.  Sometimes they will even send extras to use on my next purchase to ensure I will continue to use their products (which is kinda why I still do!) 

Last but not least...

Know your coupon policies.  Each store is different.  And this is part of etiquette because I have seen the ugly fights between couponer and store personnel when coupon policies are violated.  When people start violating the coupon policy, they crack down.  They even change it so it's even harder to get around.  This makes it even harder for the people who have already memorized it (and are already afraid of the scary managers) to keep coupon shopping.  We will have to learn it all over, and trust me, every time I go through the checkout it feels like final exams... That last test to see if my knowledge of the sales, coupons, matchups, and policies will all pay off. It's even worse when the cashier already got in the ring with a customer over their coupon clashing .

Stores post their policies online at their websites, the customer service desk can usually get you a copy, and most stores have them right at the registers in case of a dispute.  Arguing that your coupon is acceptable when they are showing you hard proof that it isn't will get you nowhere but removed from the store (in extreme cases only, of course).  If you know how to use them, they can't tell you no.  And if they do tell you no, you can point out the policy that says yes.  They will gladly continue your checkout and you will win. And save. But most importantly win.  The cashier is your friend.  They are the ones getting all of your items from one side of the checkout to the other.  You can't leave the store without them... Sure, you'd get it all free if you could sneak past unnoticed, but chances are, there won't be room for your stockpile in jail.  So be nice to the cashiers.  Make their day as easy as you hope they will make yours.  Know what you're up against and things will go smoothly... for you, and for the rest of us.

So, couponing 101, lesson 1... be nice with your coupons.  It allows the rest of us to continue using ours in peace.  No angry cashiers, no accusing stares, no disappointing (and sometimes expensive) trips to the store to find the shelves cleaned out, and most importantly, no modified coupon policies restricting EVERYTHING and preventing us from getting our free on!

More Hannaford Coupons: Updated!!!

There are more Hannaford Coupons available to print for the $1 off meat, $2 off deli, and $3/$40 purchase.  These coupons expire on 2/11/12 so print as many as you can and use them up before Saturday.  I'm doubt they will be reposting these again since they expire the day before the Superbowl and they are part of a Game Time promotion. You can find the coupons here.

I used these coupons to pick up 1/2 lb of deli meats (usually the ones that ran around $4 - $7/lb) and stocked up quite a bit in my freezer.  I also used these to buy the deli items like potato salad, sesame chicken, and egg rolls (3 for $.37!).  I will definitely be going back this week to use as many of these as I can.  Remember though, there are only one allowed per purchase, however they can be combined with manufacturer's or meat markdown coupons!

Wellness Card Coupons

Rite Aid has started a new program that allows you to load coupons onto your Wellness card by using their website Load2Card.  You just load the coupons you want to use onto your card (they have a select list) and it will take them right off your total at the checkout when they scan your card.  I'm not sure if these can be combined with manufacturer's coupons or Rite Aid coupons, because I can't find anything on the card coupon section of their website.  I'll try one scenario tomorrow and post an update about how it worked.  There is a Chex Mix coupon that can go along with the $1.49 bags that are part of the $15/$5 +Up deal.  There's also a Robitussin coupon ($3/2) to pair up with the $25.00/$10 +Up deal (advil, thermacare, robitussin, colgate, dimetapp).

Just thought I'd get this posted for anyone planning a trip to Rite Aid during this week's sale!

Rite Aid Matchups 1/29 - 2/4

I was glancing through the Rite Aid flier and noticed a few deals this week...  I guess there will be some pretty good coupon matchups in this weekend's paper.  However, I don't like to go based on Rite Aid's "manufacturer coupon in sunday's paper" advertisements because they sometimes don't come to our region, or they may be a different amount altogether.  But here are some of the quick deals I noticed (remember I don't have the actual coupons amount yet since I won't have a newspaper until tomorrow morning!)

$10 Up Reward when you buy $30 in participating products:

• BOGO 50% Off Covergirl Cosmetics - Covergirl Save $1/1 product, Covergirl Save $2.50/2 product set (P&G 1/29/12)
• BOGO 50% Off Olay Skin and Bath Care - Olay Save $1/1 bar, body wash or in-shower body lotion, Olay Save $5/1 Pro-X facial moisturizer, Olay Buy 1 Professional Pro-X, Regenerist or Total Effects Facial Moisturizer or Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo, Get 1 4-bar soap pack (free up to $5.99) (P&G 1/29/12)
• BOGO 50% Off Secret, Satin Care Shave Gel, Venus - Secret Save $1/1 Outlast (P&G 1/29/12)
• 2/$6.00 Pantene Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers - Pantene Save $1/2 products (P&G 1/29/12)

$10 Up Reward when you buy $30 in participating products:

• 2/$7.00 Dove Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers - Dove Save $1/1 Hair Care product (RP 1/29/12)
• $1 +Up on 2! Extra savings since you will get the $10 on top of this if you spend $30! (limit 2 +Up rewards)
• $5.99 Dove bath bars 4 pack, or Body wash 24 oz., Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion 24.5 oz. - Dove Save $1/1 Beauty Bar 6 pack+ excludes trial size and Men+Care, Dove Save $1/1 body wash 12oz+ excludes trial size and Men+Care,  Vaseline Save $1/1 Total Moisture, Aloe Fresh or Cocoa Radiant 3oz+ (RP 1/29/12)
• $2.99 Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion 10 oz., Caress Body Wash 12 oz. - Vaseline Save $1.1 Total Moisture, Aloe Fresh, or Cocoa Radiant 3 oz. +, Caress Save $.75/1 12oz+ body wash or 6 bar pack+ (RP 1/29/12)
• $8.99 Dove  or Caress Bath Bars (8 pack) - Dove Save $1/1 Beauty Bar 6 pack+ excludes trial size and Men+Care, Caress Save $.75/1 12oz+ body wash or 6 bar pack+ (RP 1/29/12)
• 2/$5.00 Q-Tips - .30/1 Q-Tips (RP 1/29/12)
• BOGO 50% Off Dove & Degree Invisible Solid Antiperspirant or Deodorant - Dove Save $.75/1 go sleeveless or go fresh anti-perspirant/deodorant excludes trial size, multi-packs and Men+Care, Dove Save $2/1 Clinical Protection anti-perspirant/deodorant excludes trial size, multi-packs and Men+Care, Degree Save $1/1 Women Premium anti-perspirant & deodorant or body mist (RP 1/29/12)

Get $10 +Up when you buy $25 of participating products

• $13.99 Advil - Advil/Thermacare Save $1/1 bottle orpackage of Advil 40ct+, Advil PM 16ct+, Children’s Advil 4oz+ or Thermacare2ct+ (RP 1/29/12)
• $4.99 Children's Advil, Robitussin, or Dimetapp Cold 4 oz or 20 ct, Thermacare 2-3 ct. - Advil/Thermacare Save $1/1 bottle orpackage of Advil 40ct+, Advil PM 16ct+, Children’s Advil 4oz+ or Thermacare2ct+ (RP 1/29/12)
• $3.49 - Colgate Toothpaste (select varieties), Colgate manual toothbrush - Colgate Save $.50/1 toothpaste 4oz+, Colgate Save $.40/1 adult or kids manual toothbrush excluding Plus and Extra Clean

Schick Hydro - $9.99, $4 +Up Reward (limit 4), Final Price $5.99
Duracell Coppertop Batteries (AA or AAA 8 pk, C or D 4 pk, 9 Volt 2 pk) - $5.99, Use Duracell Save $.50/1 CopperTop, Ultra Power, Ultra Photo Lithium or Specialty batteries (P&G 1/29/12), $1 +Up Reward (limit 2), Final Price $4.49

Get $5 +Up Reward when you buy $15 in participating products

• $1.49 Pringles, Chex Mix, Trail Mix, Cheez-it, Monster, Amp - .50/1 Pringles or $1/4 Pringles (depending on what we get in our paper) (RP 1/29/12), .60/2 Chex Mix or Chex 100 Calorie Snack, $1/4 Chex Mix, Gardettos, Bugles (RA Video Values January), .50/2 Chex Mix or 100 Calorie Snack (GM 1/8/12), $1/2 Keebler Crackers or Sunshine Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers (RP 1/29/12)
• 3/$9.99 12 Pack Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7-Up
• $2 +Up Reward on 3 (limit 2), Final Price 3/$7.99
• BOGO Free Planters or Lay's Potato Chips
• $1 Lay's Stax, Combox, TGIFriday's Snacks, Pepsi 2 liters, Gatorade 32 oz, Aquafina or Brisk 1 liter, and Hershey's/Reese's/Nestle/Mars King Size candy bars - .50/1 Gatorade product (RA Video Values)
• $3.99 Aquafina Water 24 pk (16.9 oz bottles)
• BOGO Free Edy's Ice Cream 1.5 quart
• 2/$5.00 NY Bagel Crisps, Rice Works, or Nabisco Crackers (5.5 oz - 16 oz), Stacy's Pita Chips (8 oz), Gatorade 4 pack, Lipton Tea Gallons - $1/2 Nabisco Crackers printable, $1/1 Rice Works printable, $1/2 Stacy's Pita Chips (SS 1/1/12)

Xtra Laundry Detergent, Nice N Fluffy Fabric Softener - 2/$6.00, $2 +Up Reward on 2, Final Price 2/$4

These are just the ones that stood out and caught my interest.  I'm sure there are more that other people may want to take advantage of but this is at least a start! If I'm bored or feel ambitious tomorrow, I might go look at some prices on the BOGO items to get a better idea of what is needed to get the +Up Rewards. 

Shaw's Ad Preview is Up!

If I ever have to move to Bangor, I will be the one to scan these and post them, but since it's a long drive to get a copy early in the week, I'll stick to posting the WUC (weusecoupons) link.

Here is the coming sale and match-ups for 1/27 - 2/2.  I saw a few things I am sort of excited about, like Asparagus being on sale for 1.99/lb! We love asparagus, and at 3.99 for a small bunch at our local Hannaford, it is hard to put this on the table at our house.  Luckily, it's something the kids don't really care for so I make it on weekends when they are with their dad.  I would love to get some of this and figure out how to flash freeze it so I have it on hand for a while.

Of course, asparagus is a non-coupon item, so let's get back to the good stuff...  There is an "On Your Next Order" deal with Tide, Charmin, and Bounty.  They are specific items, but you get $5 back on your next order.  They are good prices for a good sized package (other than the Tide, in my opinion), so it may be worth grabbing these if you are in need of them anyway.  There were also coupons available in the January P&G so you may be able to grab some even cheaper.





I also saw that Ken's 9 oz dressings are $1 this week.  When they had the BOGO deal last week, I picked up some marinades and dressings in the larger size, but these small bottles were not on sale, so I am fortunate to have a BUNCH of coupons for these leftover.  The coupons are from 1/8/12 inserts and are $1/2, making them 50 cents per bottle.  This is a good stock up price, especially if you use dressings for marinades or cooking like I do.  I will definitely be grabbing several of these when I make my trip.


For more information and match-ups, check out the link I posted.  There are constantly more people posting their finds, so read the forum to get more info about the sale and what other people have been buying.  We Use Coupons is my major info source because so many people post their finds and sale successes so it helps when you're ready to make your trip to Shaw's.  They also have other stores listed (like Rite Aid, Target, Walmart, and other national chains) so you don't just have to look at the Shaw's sale once you are there.  Browse around and find some deals of your own!

Couponing Class

I've had a lot of (no doubt empty) requests for me to teach people my couponing ways.  It's hard to just explain in a text message or a quick conversation, and when people are invited to get together, it never seems to happen.

I'm going to try my hardest in the next few weeks to get some people committed to having an actual class.  I know teaching people creates competition, but it really is a tough time for a lot of people, especially in our area, and I want to share this with anyone willing to learn.

The things I would like to cover are the following:

• Basic coupon usage (rule #1: don't be a "brand snob"!)
• Coupon/Sale matchups
• Manufacturer/store coupon stacking
• Using couponing to get ahead (stockpiling)
• Coupon Etiquette (MAJORLY IMPORTANT!!!)
• Rainchecks
• Tools to make couponing MUCH easier! (blogs, forums, and clipping services)
• Organizing so you don't get overwhelmed.
• Supporting your fellow couponers (hopefully this will lead to some future meetings and projects!)

I would really love to get some feedback from anyone who wants to take part in this so I can create an event on facebook and get a place booked to hold it.  I have a pretty good sized house with a large room where I can set up chairs and hold the class, but if people would rather meet in a public place, that will be my goal!   I will be charging a small fee for attendance because I want to get some information together that people can take home, and some visuals for making things easier.  If I have to rent a place to hold this, the cost will be pushed up considerably.  One option I was told is $25 an hour, and obviously the more people I can get to come, the lower the cost per person will be!  If I can do it at my house, the cost will only be enough to cover some paper and ink for printing some things for you to take home, and maybe some refreshments.

Please let me know if you want to attend, a good day/time preference, and anything specific you would like me to focus on (or something you hope to save money on).  The more prepared I am for this class, the more prepared you will be for your first coupon shopping trip!

I'm BAAAAAACK!

Yes, it has been MONTHS, but now that I'm settled in at our new home and the holidays are officially over, I am back and ready to go! I'm so excited at the number of people who are interested in learning the tricks of the trade.  I am most definitely going to try infinitely harder to keep this blog going to inform everyone what's out there for deals in our area.

I am excited to get started because today my mom found the new Hannaford.com printable coupons on their website!  There are 3 coupons for a total of $6 off.  One is for $1 off of any meat department purchase of $1 or more.  Another is $2 off of any deli purchase of $2 or more.  And finally, a $3 off of a $40 purchase.  There are the usual no alcohol, giftcards, etc. restrictions on this one so just pay attention to the fine print and you'll be fine!  This is an amazing sheet of coupons to print (and you can print multiples!!!) because you can use the meat coupon in combination with meat markdown coupons, and the deli coupons have no size restriction so if you get 1/2 lb of meat or cheese, it really cuts down the price! It can also be used on the deli foods like pasta and potato salads! They are generally around $4/lb so a half lb would be free!  The only thing to remember about using multiples of these coupons is that it is limit one per transaction (and our store doesn't like you to split transactions to get more use of coupons).  But if you can make multiple trips in (or do on a regular basis like I do anyway), you can grab a quick pkg of meat or deli item everytime you go in and only pay a little for something that's normally quite expensive!

These coupons expire on 1/28 so grab them while you can, and print away! I used quite a few of these this week, and I have a friend who used them to stock up on sandwich meat (which she put in the freezer so it won't go bad before they can use it). So take advantage of these, and combine them with the sales in this week's flier to get maximum savings!